


Whispers

by LazyBonestheDragon



Category: G.I. Joe - All Media Types
Genre: Because we all know how ugly it can get in GI Joe, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Just to be safe, Mix of Comic and Cartoon canon, Tagging violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-10-02 03:51:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10209002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyBonestheDragon/pseuds/LazyBonestheDragon
Summary: G.I. Joe has been ordered to take part in an exchange program. How will some of the best and brightest of the British military learn to deal with their Yankee counterparts across the pond in the Yankee's backyard? Especially when one of them carries a heavy past on her shoulders. OC centric.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:  
> So wow, I’m actually writing G.I. Joe again. I’m not entirely sure what made me suddenly pick up on the fandom again, but here I am!  
> This is a sort of rewrite for one of my older fics found on ff.net (along with this story), which is still up because apparently it’s popular though I don’t understand why, with an OC of mine who has been collecting dust up until now.
> 
> I will start off by saying that while I will do my best to research, I am not fluent in the language difference between American English and the Queen’s English being as I am an American. I’ll do my best to illustrate, but I can’t be 100%. I appreciate anyone who can point out the differences or any other interesting slang terms that would fit.
> 
> As for the story, I’m doing a mix of comic and cartoon Joe knowledge. There will be characters that “should” be dead, but aren’t because I like them too much haha. It will somewhat unique considering that according to Big Ben’s file, he didn’t join the Joes until 91. But everything will be scooted up to match up better with “modern” times so to speak. I’ll try to be as consistent as possible.
> 
> Anyways, please be gentle with me! It’s been awhile since I mucked around in this fandom. But hopefully I can provide a good read for everyone.

A soft clearing of a throat was the first sign that she was not alone.

Well, it was the first obviously audible sign. She had figured someone was coming up to her room by the sound of familiar footsteps on polished wooden floors. Regardless, she opened her eyes and peered up at the source of the sounds.

Li-Min must have been a sight. She was perfectly balanced on her left palm, legs folded up in a lotus position, while her right hand hovered in front of her face with the fingers pointed down. The young woman took her meditation seriously. However, when she recognized the loafers the other person wore, she immediately flipped back to her feet.

“Hello father,” she said very quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. Li-Min carefully brushed herself off as her chestnut eyes blinked carefully. In a tank top and shorts, the clothing allowed her very fit physique to be shown off. Her black hair, worn loose instead of the bun she normally bound it up in, was brushed out of her face as she cocked an eyebrow. At 1.8 meters, she was a little on the tall side though she still would get head rubs from the man across from her.

The man she called father shook his head at her. Despite the fact she was of Asian descent, her “father”, Earl Edward McColl was a proper middle-aged 1.9m English gentleman with his aristocratic and handsome features. Slightly greying at the temples, it only enhanced the sharp and intelligent blue eyes that were gazing at the younger woman with some fondness. Fit and trim despite his age, he was dressed in a casual grey suit.

“Li-Min, I’ve told you that you don’t need to actually use your voice to speak with me. I don’t want you stressing your vocal cords out. I taught you sign language for a reason,” he chided her warmly. McColl’s smile widened when Li-Min rolled his eyes at him. She was the only one who could get away with such small things, at least in private. “Anyway, I want you to get dressed in haste please.”

She tilted her head at him as she scooted for her wardrobe. Lin-Min’s room was tastefully decorated as any “proper” English lady’s room should be. Her protests had fallen on deaf ears; her adoptive father had insisted that when she was on leave and staying at the house, he would see that she received the treatment due to a “lady” of her standing. “Is there something I should be wearing?”

“We’re meeting some generals if that helps you.” McColl bit back a chortle seeing Li-Min shoot him an alarmed look before she disappeared into her closet. A laugh finally escaped him as he watched some articles of clothing go flying out of the open door and land haphazardly on the bed. “Nothing too formal m’dear, just something to show your military side without being too fancy?”

When Li-Min finally emerged, dressed in a nice pair of khakis with a black turtleneck, she shot him a half glare as she made sure the shirt covered her neck completely. “And what exactly do we suddenly owe the honor of these guests in the McColl manor?” When she saw that smile cross her father’s face, the one he reserved when he was feeling particularly sneaky and mischievous, she bit back a knowing groan.

“Now that would ruin part of the sport, now, here is what we are going to do when the guests actually arrive..."

****

Li-Min mentally thought up all the things she was going to say to the elder McColl when this was all over. So far, she kept her silence and out of sight. Her perch was currently a small alcove built just above the main parlor. Her father had had it built specifically for her, basically to allow her a chance to study people before actually having to speak with them. As long as she kept her aura subdued and quiet, no one ever noticed her up there.

Not for lack of trying, from the parlor itself, the alcove appeared to just be part of the decorations along the second floor. A secret door opened up to allow her access to it. Otherwise, even if they did do a scan of the room, they would never have spotted it unless they got a closer look.

When Charles, the family butler, had announced that their guests had arrived, Edward had shooed Li-Min off. She waited until she could hear the murmur of voices had reached the parlor. One was obviously her father, one she recognized as General Callum Taylor, her superior officer who acted as her liaison between the SAS and MI-6.

The other voice though…not British, American by the sounds of the accent. Her interest peaked; she waited a few more heartbeats before finally sneaking the secret door open and taking up her perch. From her vantage point, she could see the small gathering. Her father was just handing a glass of scotch to Taylor while the American politely declined.

Taylor looked the same as always, big and clean shaven. His sandy blonde hair was slightly disheveled as he pulled his cap off; running his fingers through it did little to fix the problem. But it was the American that Li-Min fixed her eyes on.

He was tall and broadly built as well, though with brown hair. He was in dress greens, US Army by the looks of it, with a fair amount of decorations pinned in their appropriate places. Even as he was casually seated on the cushy armchair, there was no mistaking the aura of authority he held. If he was here, it was for something important.

Taylor took a sip of the scotch and smiled. “You always did have a good taste for the vintages McColl.” He settled into his own armchair as he placed the stack of files he had been holding onto the small table that lay between the three men.

McColl settled into his own chair, situated so that he could face the other two men and took a sip himself, though giving Taylor a careful look over the edge of his glass. “Of course I do. But I’m sure you aren’t here to discuss high society drinks with me old friend. Especially with a guest from across the pond.” He nodded at the newcomer. “Though if I suspect he is who I think he is…”

 “Lord McColl, may I present General Clayton M. Abernathy.”

Abernathy…Abernathy…why did that name sound familiar? Li-Min tucked her chin into her hands as she watched their American guest shake her father’s hand. Well, only way to find out was to keep listening.

“Well well, this should be interesting. What brings such an illustrious American general to my manor? No, let me guess…it as to do something with the **_problem_** that your unit deals with yes?”

Abernathy, to his credit, initially only raised an eyebrow and gave Taylor a look. The other man shrugged. The American shook his head in some amusement before he spoke. “I see that despite officially being retired Lord McColl, you keep your ears in everything.”

 _“Of course he does. One does not simply retire from MI-6. Not someone with his career and reputation, Spymaster McColl strikes again”_ Li-Min thought to herself. _“Though…what is this American up to?”_

“With due respect, yes. Cobra is fast becoming an international problem. It does not help that one of their major players has strong ties here in Europe. There has been some talk that we should start reaching out to our allies to help contain them.” Abernathy tapped the files that Taylor had placed down on the table. “That means we should be recruiting outside the normal if we want to be the best of the best. What do you know of G.I. Joe?”

Finally she had names…sort of. Just another vague ringing of bells but still nothing forthcoming to her memory. Cobra she knew, they had caused enough problems to end up on the watch list and she had participated in a few operations to shake their tree, so to speak. G.I. Joe though…that was mostly unfamiliar to her.

McColl picked up the file on top and flicked it open. “Enough, supposedly one of the best kept secrets of the US military. Primarily formed to be an anti-terrorist unit, but you’ve found yourselves to be the main force combating the problem that is Cobra. Let me guess, you want to recruit my daughter.” He turned the file enough that Li-Min could see in fact that it was her file, complete with all its redactions. Good to know her father’s word still held sway up there…

“She is one of the best, even with the little that is available to her record. Top scores in covert ops, high IQ scores, proficiency in hand to hand fighting and weaponry. Endorsements across the board from anyone who has had a chance to work with her. If I dared to say, she’s almost like a ninja,” Taylor remarked with a straight face. If only he could see her bristle from her perch, she HATED being called a ninja.

Her father gave Taylor a warning look as he shut the file. “Well, I suppose the only person so ask is the woman in question herself.”

That was her cue. With the grace of a cat, Li-Min hoisted herself over the alcove lip and quietly grasped the satin rope on her right. Another thing her father had added around their home, people saw decorations, but for her they served as secret walkways for her to access different parts of the manor. With a small swing, she got her toes on the edges of the wooden pillar and then carefully slid down the gap between it and the wall, making sure to use the pillar to hide her presence. Not that it would do any good for her father; he always seemed to have a knack of knowing where she was at any given time.

“Well then, where is the young lady in question then?” She could hear Taylor’s question even as she snuck on her hands and knees to get into the small space behind the tapestry that lay behind her father’s seat. Not even a tiny rustle of the heavy fabric. Her father loved his dramatics.

“Why she’s right here of course.” Li-Min stopped herself from rolling her eyes at her father’s completely smug tone as she swept the tapestry aside and took up a position behind her his chair. Taylor actually jumped in his seat a bit, but fortunately did not spill a drop of the scotch. Abernathy though, did not even flinch, only gave her a look from blue eyes she almost could call amused. He continued to gain notches with her, clearly a man to be respected. Her gaze dropped down though to meet the elder McColl. “Well, I assume you heard everything yes?”

She gave a short nod. He prompted her with a cocked eyebrow and she sighed. He was not going let her off easy. Petite hands went up and quickly signed.

* _General Taylor sir, you did say that it was becoming a little difficult to find missions that adequately challenged me. Also of late, I’ve been inactive because of that. If this G.I. Joe can make use of my skills and I can help others, I am interested.*_ The British Sign Language came easily to her, she preferred to only use her voice with those she knew very well. And that was a very short list.

“Well you have it straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.” McColl shot her a look and earned another silent sigh from her.

She took one step away from the chair, clicked into a smart salute, and signed at Abernathy. _*Sergeant Li-Min McColl of her majesty’s army at your service sir.*_

Abernathy stood up and offered his hand, which she looked at dubiously before cautiously returning the handshake. “Please, call me Hawk. I assume you already have a codename for yourself?”

Li-Min blinked carefully. _*Yes sir. In the SAS and MI-6, I operate under the codename Whisper. I assume that is the codename I will continue to use while I am a member of G.I. Joe?*_

“Yes, that’s fine,” Hawk assured her, “remember that this is a preliminary deal for now. We want to see if we can recruit from other countries into the Joes. We’re starting with the British Isles because of our already strong ties.” His lip twitched. “The names I am looking at came to me highly recommended. I hope you are ready to deal with working for us.”

She hesitated and looked at her father, who only looked back at her impassively. Was she ready for this? It was one thing for her to have gotten used to working along others here in this country even with her…past. To deal with a completely new group? But…if these Joes were as good as Hawk was saying…well, Edward McColl said only the stupid and lazy stopped learning.

_*I am sure sir, Hawke. When am I to fly out?*_

“In two days. I know you have a lot to do considering you will be doing a lot of flying. Also need to get all your paperwork in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. We’ll have the files and paperwork you need to look over by tomorrow and further instructions for you as well. I look forward to working with you, Whisper.”

Lin-Min nodded, she knew all too well the messiness that could arise over cross jurisdiction cases. The men said their farewells as she was left to mull over what just happened.

So, she was joining an American counter-terrorist organization as a sort of test run. Along with a few others from what hints Hawk dropped. That was good, she didn’t know if she could handle Yank culture all by herself, it would help a lot to be around fellow Brits. Adjusting to one culture had been hard enough when she had first come to the country she now called home.

She was so deep in thought that she just barely stopped herself from jumping when she felt Edward’s hand clamp firmly on her shoulder. Twisting around to look up at him, she caught the questioning look he was giving her.

“Sweetheart, you sure about this?”

Whisper hesitated. “…father, I know you’ve done a lot to protect me while I’ve been here…serving my new country after…after all **_that_**.” Her quiet voice was even lower than usual. “I will always and forever be grateful…but I think maybe having a chance to spread my wings, so to speak, would do me some good. The people I work with here…they don’t know the whole story but they know enough. I’ve always had this…this…feeling they don’t fully trust me.”

Lord McColl sighed as he wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and firmly steered her down one of the hallways. “I figured. I’ve tried until I was blue in the face, but there will always be those too thick to see reason.” He playfully rubbed at her hair, even as she squirmed in vain. “At least you won’t be alone. I have a feeling I know what others got nominated for this.” At her questioning look, he clicked his tongue at her. “Oh no, I’ll let you figure that out for yourself. I keep telling you that you need to be more social.”

The irritated look she shot him only made him more amused. “Anyway dear, let’s let the rest of the staff know. I’d hate for you to be unable to make your flight because Ms. Baria decided to smother you in her bosom and drowned you in her tears.”


End file.
